Fuel mixer



P. D. HUTTON FUEL MIXER Filed June 2, 1945 FIG 3.

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O a I m w Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,488,314 FUEL MIXER Percy D. Hutton, Buffalo, N. Y. Application June 2, 1945, Serial No. 597,360 2 Claims. 01. 261-13) This invention relates to fuel mixers, and more particularly to liquid fuel and air mixing devices for use in conjunction with internal combustion engines or liquid fuel burning heating devices and the like.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide, an improved fuel and air mixing device such as may be employed either as the sole carburetion device in conjunction with an internal combustion engine or the like, or as an accessory to a conventional type carburetor. Another object of the invention is to provide a fuel-air mixing device which is adapted to provide more eilicient mixing of air and fuel when employed in conjunction with either an internal combustion engine or a fuel oil burner or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fuel-air mixer which is adapted to procure more emcient gasification of a liquid fuel. Another object of the invention is to provide an improved fuel-air mixing device which is adapted to procure more efficient gasification of the liquid fuel and more eficient admixing of air and the gasified fuel.

Another object of the invention is to provide the features and advantages aforesaid while delivering to the mixed fuel consumer a fuel-air mixture of reduced temperature. Another object of the invention is to provide a device which is adapted to provide the features and advantages aforesaid while comprising a mechanical structure which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and service. Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the specification hereinafter.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation, with portions bro-ken away to show the interior of a fuel-air mixing device of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section as along line II-II of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section along line III III of Fig. 1.

The drawing illustrates, for example, one physical 'form in which the device of the invention may be constructed; and as shown therein the device includes a mixed fuel delivery conduit l adapted to be connected as at the flanged end l2 to the intake manifold or other fuel conveying conduit of the engine or burner to be fed by the fuel mixer. A conventional type throttle valve [4 is shown in the conduit ill for. either manual or automatic control to regulate the flow of fuel-air mixture to the engine to be serviced. The fuel discharge conduit It] leads to a ported portion of a generally cylindrical shaped casing it which comprises the mixing chamber of the device. A heating element is disposed within the mixing chamber l8; and as shown in the drawing, the heating element may comprise a conduit 20 arranged to convey a heating medium such as the exhaust gases from the engine or burner to be serviced by the mixer. The conduit 20, is illustrated in the drawing to include a swelled portion 22 interiorly of the mixing chamber; said swelled portion 22 being streamline shaped in sectional view as shown in Fig. 2 and formed with exteriorly extending fin devices 24 to increase the heat exchange surface area of the hot jacket portion 22.

The mixing chamber I8 includes a second ,ported portion 26 which leads to an air intake 28;

and as shown in the drawing the air inlet and are disto enter mixed fuel discharge conduits l 0-26 posed in vertically aligned relation so as into open communication with the interior of the mixing chamber l8 at diametrically opposed positions thereon.

A fuel supply chamber is provided as indicated at 30 to supply liquid fuel to the mixer device through means of a conduit 32 which terminates in a jet 33. It will be understood of course that the fuel supply chamber 30 may be of any suitable type so as to be adapted to furnish fuel to the mixer as required; and may for example comprise a. pair of separate float-controlled reservoirs ,34 in which the fuel liquid levels are suitably maintained by float devices or the like and from which liquid fuel may be alternately drawn into the feeding nozzle 33 ascontrolled by a duplex toggle valve 36. Thus, for example, the chamber 34 may be connected to a supply of starting fuel such as gasoline and the chamber 35 connected to a supply of running fuel such as fuel oil; and either low grade or high grade fuel may be fed to the mixer as the operator desires by simple adjustment of the valve 35.

The fuel feed nozzle 33 is disposed to discharge the fuel into a pre-mixing cuff which subspaced relation stantially encloses the hot jacket portion 22. The cuff 40 includes a feed throat 42 which receives the fuel nozzle 33 and also provides a reduced air inlet opening 44. The cuff 40 enlarges laterally in all directions from the position of the throat 42 so as to encompass the hot jacket 22 in therefrom whereby to provide a fuel and air mixing space surrounding the hot jacket 22 and interiorly of the cuff 40. In end view the cuff 40 is streamline shaped so as to complement the shape of the hot jacket 22 while being spaced therefrom and also spaced inenable the operator to control the water feed arteriorly of the mixing chamber wall i8. The rangement.

bottom portion of the pre-mixing cuff 40 is per- Thus, it will be understood that the invention forated as indicated at 45 so as to permit disprovides a particularly compact and structurally persed escape of mixed fuel and air therefrom, 5 simple fuel mixing device which is adapted to and may also be saw-slotted as indicated at 46. provide improved degree of fuel gasification while Thus, it will be understood that whenever the delivering a fuel-air mixture of reduced temperamixer device of the invention is installed in conture. It will also be appreciated that the apjunction with an internal combustion engine or 1 .5 .11??? Pithe invention may be very inexpena fuelburner or thelike and when the throttle 1Q fs ively 'constrifcte'd andassefnbled from metal parts valve '14 is open and the engine is "operatingfio "siich"as"are easily and"inexpefiivelfmanuiacimpose a suction force upon the mixer discharge ,tured by standard shop methods and tools. It conduit H], the interior of the mixer device 'will ""will also be understood that although only one be subjected to a partial vacuum wherebyair f specific form of fuel mixer of the invention has will be drawn into the intake 28. If the fuel feed 1 5 b een illustrated and described herein, and that control valve 36 is also open a supply oflitiuid onl'y af'ew of the possible applications of the fuel will simultaneously be sucked ,fromjthe jet mixer ;of'the" invention have been discussed here- 33 as a result of the rush of a portion of the intake in; the invention is not so limited, and various air which enters the cuif through theairgap ensuses may be made in the structural design 44 to pass by the jet 33 thereby inducing flow 29 and applications thereof without departing from "of liquid fuel therefrom. -""th spirit-of theiffvention and"'thesco'p'e''o'f the As the fuel sprays out of the jet 33 it'mixes appended"elair'ns. with the relatively small volume of air 'enterclaim:

f-ingthe cuff throat '42 and impinges with the ac- 1: A liquid fueliand 'air mixer comprismg a 'cornpanying air against the hot jacket/22 t'o'be 25 horizontally arranged cylindrical mixing chamber come heated" and gasified and intimately mixed ""having' an iipwardlyextending singlair intake jand absorbed in the air passing through the cuff 'dilct 'and a mixture outlet; 3; preq'nixjn'g cufi i 40. Thus, optimum gasiflcation of the liquid spaced nested relationwith the wall-ofthemixf fuel is accomplished under'relatively high tempering' "chainber'j said c'ufifhaving an upw'ardlyexature conditions while employing only a small' go tending intake throat substantially' concentric portion of the total amount of air which is ultiwith and--prdjected into the-air intake duct of n'iately required for complete combustion of the 'saidmixing' cliainberfor receiving a'portion of fuel. This pre-mixed fuel and air component "the air supplied' 'tlirough saidduct;"saidciiff'being 'discharges' through the openings 45-46 at the "-formedwitl'i 'outletfperforations'formed along'its bottom of the cuff 40 and into the mam-mixing as iowerside and'in oommunie ti nfwitn themixchamber l8 where it becomes entrained in uniture outlt" of tlfemixing-chamber, afuebnozzle *fo'r'mly mixed fashion within the body of the r r'su pwmg quidruerto sjaid"throat;'*-and a "main portion of'air entering the intake 28. f 'heating jacket extending through and in spaced In this manner a completely gasified fuel comsted'relation tos'aid' cuff. "'pojne'nt is added to the major portion of the elf- 40 I 2'. A liqui dj fuel"and"'air"inixer comprising a I required to be furnished for complete combustion {h'o "zontauyarrangedeyiinaneermixingehumber ofthe fuel, and inasmuch as the fuel component l V aving arr u ward yntending single air intake has been initially pre-mixedwith'hot' air for du 't and afmixtufe ouflet; a p'renmbdng cufiii (id pl e gasificetion, it is not necessary that spaced nested relation with the wall=df thmixl the major portion of the air supply be neated i g-cham er,senr'eufrmevingan upwareryexin order to obtain an ultimate fuel-air mixture "(tending intake throatsubstantially'condentric of" optimum combustion characteristics. Conse- "with' and projected i to the airintakeduct of qiiently', it is arranged 'that'the majorportion said" mixing "chamber foi 'receiving a-portion of of "the'air supply be permitted to pass'through I, the"airsuppliedthrough'saidfiuct,said'cufibeing 'the mixer without substantial heating" thereof foifned"with-outletperforations 'forinedalong'its prior to being mixed with the" pre-mixedi'fuel- "lowerside 'and 'incommunicationwiththemixair component in the lower portionof the mixing --ture out1et ofthe mix'in'g chamber; a fuel nozzle chamber, and a relatively cool but completely -forsupplying liquidTueFto said throatyaheating gasified'fuel-air mixture is thereby deliveredto jacket'exten'ding throu'glf' andin spaced nested the engine or burner being served. relation to said cuff, saidja'cket'havirfg'aswelled As illustrated at 56, awater supply chamber portion of streamlined cross seotio'ndis'posed withmay be convenientlymounted adjacent theinlet -'ir1 saidcuif;and-an "exteriorlyextending deconduit 26 to provide for introduction of water *vlce"surrbuhdingf'said swelledwortion.

into the pre-mixing chamberiwhenever 'the op- "PERCY-DTHUTTON. eration is to be benefitedby addition of watef' ml V n.

vapor to the fuel air mixture. In sucncase the M REFERENCES CITED chamber 50 will be Suitably \controned. y rueidm'em?ieierefit ere of reord' i ri the 'fl'oat level control device or the like,sothatthe fil f this patent;

"water supply therein will be maintained'at substantially constant level, and a dischargeconduit' v STATES" PATENTS as indicated at 52' win be arranged tosuck water ituiiiter NeTme pate out of the reservoir59 for deliveryintothecon- ?2 q igz g i e rew 3.941 duit 26 at a position above the throat 42 o'fthe 2j339',1 05 rp gg g t; f

pre-mixing cuff. Thus, it will beunderstood 1w K we eke-h that flow of water into the intakeairstrearfiwill w F N PATENTS be induced in response to the rush ofintakeair Nfififber f fiiiifi'ltry "*Uate 'ip'assing through the conduit 26 and the euirthroet ,421 'dreetiariteml 42. A control valve as at 54 maybe supplied to 213,983 Great Britain-;-: 

